It was Christmas Eve, and the dark had fallen.

The train from Euston had just drawn up in Windermere Station, and John Fenwick, carrying his bag, was making his way among the vehicles outside the station, inquiring whether any one was going in the direction of Great Langdale, who could give him a lift.

He presently found a farmer's cart bound for a village on the road, and made a bargain with the lad driving it to carry him to his destination.
They set off in bitter weather.

The driver was a farmer's son who had come to the station to fetch his small brother.

Fenwick and he took the little school-boy between them, to protect him as best they could from the wind and sleet.